Kids & Nature Blog

If there’s one thing I love about summer, it’s getting to see those snowcapped mountains on the horizon regularly again. July and August are just about the only months in Portland that you can count on them greeting you when you look to the north or the east.

Those snowcapped peaks are one of many reasons this we chose Powell Butte Nature Park as the location for this month’s Super Nature Adventures Club subscription packet. On a clear day at it’s highest point (600 ft), you can see four different snow capped mountains (plus lots of smaller nearby peaks) at once!

We have chosen a 1.3. mile “lasso” hike that ascends gently from the visitor center through the floral meadow near the parking lot and into an area of deciduous woods. From there, the trail travels through tall summer grasses towards the highest point at the park. There’s a picnic bench and an informational lookout that helps families distinguish the various mountains and buttes within view. The trail passes by a historic walnut grove after that before looping back. On the way down, the trail is dotted by patches of sun and shade and lots more grassland views.

Throughout, the trail is alive with wildlife. Kids have a chance to seek out ladybugs, dragonflies, bees, and other insects among the summer wildflowers and grasses. The park is especially known for the variety of butterflies and moths that visit in the summer months. If it’s wet out, kids might also find slugs in the wooded area (in the last week of May we found 3!)

The park is also an amazing place for bird watching - and listening - from the smaller song birds to larger birds of prey. Birds of prey like to make Powell Butte their home because there are lots of chances for food. In the grasses they can find several small animals including voles, small snakes, and chipmunks. Powell Butte larger animals include mule deer, raccoons, rabbits, and coyotes. If you look along the trail’s edges, you might be able to find evidence of some of this wildlife - such as snake skins or owl pellets. Sometimes - early or late in the day - you can deer grazing in the grasslands.

Finally, Powell Butte is a great place for for a family exploration because the butte itself is an extinct cone volcano. It is part of what is known as the “Boring Lava Field” (named for the town of Boring; there’s nothing boring about a lava field!). Between the views and the geological significance of the butte, Powell Butte is one of the best places in Portland for kids to explore the region's volcanic geology.

As always, our packets for this month include a scavenger hunt map, activity field guide, and Super Nature Adventures code of the trail that are designed to make your experience with this park extra special. For this month’s packet, our field guide focuses especially on grassland habitats and volcanoes. We have also made material that supports scientific learning about the insects of the area.

If you are interested in buying this month’s packet, it’ll be on sale until June 27.

Every month we offer a new family trail designed to help kids become Super Nature Heroes. (Psst! The 6 month subscription is a great deal!). ~ Bryna